Accused kidnappers appear in court

Yesterday police arrested and charged Andrew “Papa” Brown, Winston “Tanga” James, Francis Guy, James Hyde and Lionel “Toe Nail” Kelly with kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, robbery, conspiracy to rob, blackmail, conspiracy to blackmail and they additionally charged Brown with abetment. It is alleged that all five men were involved in the kidnapping of the Requeña family in Gales Point Manatee in November and also the kidnapping of Charles Leslie in Belize City. Police say that at this point they also believe the disappearance of the Garbutt family and the murders of the Emil Franklin crew may be related to a number of cocaine wet drops made in a lagoon at Gales Point Manatee and at sea between November and December of last year. Police say that although they have no evidence to link the men to the Garbutt and Franklin incidents, they feel the way these men carried out these kidnappings could be similar to what happened out at sea. Today, however, the men had their day in Magistrate’s Court. The men were offered bail of thirty thousand dollars each and a surety of the same amount. At this point only Andrew “Papa” Brown has met bail. The other four are still in police custody. They are to reappear in court on April eighth.